Workers across the United States are painfully aware of the changes in the work environment. Downsizing, mergers, globalization, re-engineering, outsourcing, automation, and computerization have resulted in the displacement of 10 to 20 million workers in the 1990’s. Counselors in community colleges and elsewhere, have been called upon to assist displaced workers in returning to the ranks of the employed. Traditional career assessment methods have not always met the unique needs of these individuals in measuring skill development and often need to be supplemented with less conventional methods (Liptak, 1991). The purpose of this study was to design and to evaluate a counseling tool termed the Leisure/Occupational Connection Search (LOCS). The LOCS was a non-traditional self directed, self assessment method designed to promote self awareness and occupational exploration processes through a retrospective analysis of leisure skills. The LOCS used a search format, patterned after the Virginia VIEW Occupational and College Searches, and related leisure activities/skills directly to the 300 occupations listed in the Virginia VIEW or indirectly to occupations by way of additional training or education. The study involved 112 displaced workers enrolled in classes in the fall of 1996 at six Virginia community colleges. The displaced workers completed the LOCS and then evaluated the LOCS process in promoting self awareness and occupational exploration. Results of the study indicated the vast majority of the displaced workers who completed the LOCS process reported it promoted self awareness and a retrospective analysis of skills. In addition, the displaced workers reported an increased awareness of educational and occupational options after completing the LOCS. The 112 displaced workers responded positively to the LOCS process and indicated it was helpful, interesting, easy to use, and was helpful in aiding their career transitions. / Ph. D.

This report presents a design project undertaken by a Design+Change student seeking to create apositive and holistic change through design. The thesis project focuses on thinking and designing through the perspective of care to promote well-being of students in higher education. My collaborator, EUniWell, has expressed the need to enhance university services to improve students' well-being. As a designer, I was motivated to improve those services by incorporating tangible, visual, and other elements to foster more engaging and effective conversations between students and counselors. The intention was to meet the needs of a variety of learners and design an interactive and inclusive counseling experience. During the design process, I have explored different interesting topics, such as how tangible objects can help us reflect upon thoughts and how incorporating creativity into counseling can help students explore their emotions and experiences. In collaboration with career counseling professionals, I identified a need for students to develop self-awareness in times of uncertainty. As a service designer, I used various design methods and prototypes to explore how tangibility can serve as guidance inbuilding self-awareness and resilience in student counseling in higher education. To test the effectiveness of my counseling tool, I collaborated with health and career counseling services at my university. The designed tool serves as a visualization technique to support conversation during sessions held in different counseling settings and potentially offers a structured approach to self-reflection, allowing students to explore themselves in a welcoming and supportive environment. It has the potential to be a valuable resource for students seeking to gain a better understanding of themselves and their experiences. The tool allows different learners to reflect, identify and utilize students' resources (strengths) which I consider vital not only for students' well-being but also resilience, which is necessary for coping with changing circumstances in this ever-changing world we live in.